Folding toothbrush



C. W. LLOYD. FOLDING TOOTHBRUSII. APPLICATION FILED AUG-3. I916.

Patented July 6, 1920.

C VEII E2155;

(Jam/ewe onr1151) STATES PATENT oFFicE.

eonvitnsn W. LLOYD, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE. sAm-rorn corrrnmr or CALIFORNIA, n conronnrron or CALIFORNIA.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 6, ieeo.

Application filed August 3, 1916. @erial No. 112,979.

, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have inventedcertain new and usefui improvements in Folding 'loothhrnshes;and I do hereby declare that the following is a toll, clear, and exact description of the sense, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the numerals of reference marked thereon, which form a part-of this specification.

This invention relates to an improved form of sanitary folding tooth brush in which consideration has been given to every possihle detail, insuring the utmost cleanliness and simplicity of construction, so that when folded into position out of use the brush is entirely protected with the bristles out of contact Withtlie Walls ofithe container or shield, and yet with an opening therearooncl suii'icient to permit ventilation.

It is an object of this invention to construct a sanitary folding tooth brush enibracing a hinged handle, which, at one end, is provided with container ada' oted to receive the brush folded therein with the brush head engagi in a notch or groove to insure spacing oi the bristles of the brush from the Walls of the container at all points,

lit is also important object of this invention to construct a sanitary folding tooth brush, the handle of which is hinged and provided with a container adapted to re ceive the brush folded therein, and with. one Waller" said container notched to engage the brush head, spacing the bristles of the brush from the Walls in the container, and tort ier so positioning the brush head as to insure a small opening entirely around same he tween the brush head and the tinper Walls of the container to permit ventilation of said container and brush.

It is furthermore an object of this inven-. tion toconstrnct a tooth brush the handle of which is jointed and provided with a container adapted to receive the brush'told thereinto and. out of contact therewi wherein the container is unitary With a section of said brush handie, and smoothly rounded all points to easy cleaning thereof, and preventing accumulation of any foreign matter therein.

it. is finally an object of this invention to construct a compact, selfdraining, folding rounded at all points to prove sanitary tooth hriish ivherein the brush head is adapted to fold into a suitable container formed integral with a section of the hen die, the device vhen folded affording an eye at the hinge joint by which the device may be readilyshung up when out of use.

The invention (in a preferred form) is illustrated in the drawings and hereinafter more fully described.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a sioe elevation of a device enihodying the principles of my invention,

with parts in section and showing the device 1n extended position ready for use.

Fig, 2 1s a top plan view of the device shown in l. 5

Fig. 3 ilinstrates the device folded, and in the self-draining position assumed when hung up onto? use.

Fig. i is a view partly broken away and shown in section, 'illnstr'ating the device in folded position, r i

Fig. 5 is detail. section 5 5 of Fig. 4,, 1,

Fig. 6 is detail section taken on line G-6 of Fig. 41,-

Fig, 4, is a vice/"partly hroir n away and shown in section, illustrating a modified form of the device in to position.

Fig. 8, is a section taken on line 8-8, of Fig, '2'.

9, is Fig. T,

As shown in the The brush is no tions it and 2, prei constructed of ivory, hone, cell-nioid or any other noncorrosive material, said sections being hingedly connected-teens another by means of a knee joint 3. section 1, has formed integral therewith a brush head shin which a 1111111 her of bristles 5, are secured in a unsual manner, and an elongated cup shaped container 6, is integrally connect d t dle point of one of its section 2, and, as clearly shot a section taken on line J-9, of

ends vv accnneiato emaer t oi the tier. of forei tter were tate cleaning; thereof, The o connecting shar 7 hetvree e coi 1218i 6, and handle section 2, 1s '1 i a roove or notch. 8 which is oi size to receive 8 v the handle 1, snngry therein tween the device IS in the folded pos tron shown in Figs. 3 and 4. When the device is in the on line its . mits the insertion therethrough of a nail or hook on which the brush may be hung when out of use. 1

The rounded interior and exterior of the container 6, preventsthei collection of any particles of dirt du'st, or tooth paste therein,

and said container is of a size sufficient to insure spacing of the bristles 5, from the walls thereof at all points. The notch- 8, into which'the handle "section 1, fits snugly, serves to center the brush head 4, so that the bristles 5, are properly disposed within the container and out of contact therewith. ,A small gap or opening isf aiforded entirely around the'centered brush head4, at the'upper end of the container, so that'ajfreecir culation of air I is permitted; providing proper ventilation for the container, .andy fet said opening is of such a size as to prevent flies orlike insects from finding access'there-..

through, 'particularly when the device is hung up out of use.

' It will be observed that" the groove or.

notch 8 in serving to prevent lateral displacement of the brush end of the device when foldedalso serves to maintain thesaid brush end in proper position'to provide the small gap or opening entirely aroundsaidbrush head. i

This method of ventilation is greatly snperior to those devices in which the container is provided, with a number of apertures in its bottom or sidewalls, for the reason that apertures afford a ready place forthe lodgment of dirt or other matter. The slope of the inner walls of the container 6, is such that when the device is hung up, as shown in Fig. 3, it 'will drain i freely, but ordinarily the means of ventila tion provided is sufficient to .allow the bristles to dry by evaporation? x Inthe modified form of the device shown -in Figs. 7, 8 and 9, the brush consistsof handlelsections 9 and 10, hingedly connected together by a knee-joint l1. Thesection 9, has integrally formed thereon a brush head 12, in which suitable bristles 13, are mounted. An elongated cup shaped container 14,

sections 9 and 10, when the brush is of one of its ends with the handle section 10, and is smoothly rounded at all points to facilitate cleaning and prevent the accumulation of foreign matter therein. Said brush head 12, has its outer end and its sides slightly tapered downwardly and is of a size to permit the same to contact and closelyfit into the upper or open end of the container 14. To permit the container 14, to

be-properly ventilated and the" bristles 13,

to dry out when the tooth-brush is in closed position a passage, opening or groove 15, is

cut or formed in thecontainer and handle section 10, affording a communication between the interior of the container'l4, and

the eyev or opening afforded by the handle closed, and ready to be hung up.

,. .11 am *aware that the details of constructionsmay be varied through aewide range Without departing from the principles of this invention, and therefore'ddnot purpose limiting the patent granted otherwise tlian inecessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention :v

In a folding tooth brush, handle sections hingedly connected toone another,la. brush on one of said'sections, a container on the other sectionadapted to receive the brush folded thereinto with'the bristles of the brush concealed. and spaced from the walls of the container at all points, said container handle section having a groove therein adapted whenjthesections are folded to receive the brush section intermediate its length to insure centering of said brushwhen folded into said container, said brush and container beingso constructed as to afford a continuous opening around the brush at the upper end of the container when the brush is folded thereinto.

, In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name inthe presence of two subscribing w tnesses.

'ooNvERsn w. LLOYD.

EARL M. HARDINE. 

